1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 1:2 to the
holy and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: grace to youĎ and peace from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:3 We are giving-thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, always praying
concerning youĎ, 1:4 having heard of yourĎ faith in Christ Jesus and of the love* which
youĎhavetoward all the holy-ones, 1:5 because of the hope which is laid up for youĎ in the
heavens, of which youĎ heard beforehand in the word of the truth of the good-news. 1:6This
good-news which is present**for youĎ; just-as it also is in all the world. And is bearing-fruit and
growing, just-as italso does in youĎ, from the day youĎ heard and fully knew the grace of God in
truth; 1:7 just-as youĎ also learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow bondservant, who is a
faithful servant of the Christ on yourĎ behalf, 1:8 who also indicated to us yourĎ love* in the
Spirit.

1:9 Because of this, we also do not cease praying and asking on yourĎ behalf from the day we
heard it, in order that youĎ may be filled with the full knowledge of his will in all spiritual
wisdom and intelligence, 1:10for youĎ to walk worthy of the Lord toward pleasing him in
everything, bearing-fruit in every good work and growing into the full knowledge of God;
1:11being empowered in all power, according to the dominion of his glory, *for all endurance and
patience with joy, 1:12 giving-thanks to the Father, who made us sufficient *for the part of the
inheritance of the holy-ones in the light. 1:13 He rescued us out of the authority of darkness and
transplanted us into the kingdom of the Son of his love*; 1:14 in whom we have our redemption,
the forgiveness of our sins, 1:15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all
creation;1:16 because all things were created by him, the things in the heavens and the things upon
the earth, the visible and invisible, whether thrones or lordships or principalities or authorities;
all things have been created through him and *for him. 1:17 And he is before all things and all
things are standing {Or: established} in him. 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the congregation*of
believers; who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, in order that he might become
foremost in all things. 1:19 Because itdelighted God that all the fullness is to dwell in him; 1:20 and
through him to reconcile all things to himself, whether things upon the earth or things upon the
heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross, through him. 1:21 And youĎ were
previously alienated and were enemies in mind, in evil works, but yet he reconciled youĎ1:22 in
the body of his flesh through his death, to present youĎ holy and unblemished and irreproachable
in his sight; 1:23 if youĎ actually are remaining in the faith, having been founded and grounded
and not being moved away from the hope of the good-news which youĎ heard, which was
preached in all creation which is under heaven; of which I, Paul, became a servant.

1:24 Now I am rejoicing in my sufferings on yourĎ behalf and I am filling up in my flesh, the
things lacking of the afflictions of the Christ on behalf of his body, which is the congregation*of
believers; 1:25 of which I became a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given
to me *for youĎ, to fulfill the word of God, 1:26 the mystery that has been hidden away from the
ages and away from the generations, but now it has been manifested to his holy-ones. 1:27 To
whom God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the
Gentiles, who is Christ in youĎ, the hope of glory. 1:28The Christ whom we are proclaiming,
admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, in order that we should present
every man complete in Christ Jesus; 1:29*for which I also labor, struggling according to his
working, which works in power in me.